HOLLAND, Ohio — High school Volleyball isn't new to northwest Ohio, given the Ohio Boys Scholastic Volleyball Coaches Association has provided club teams the opportunity to play statewide for decades. But the 2022 spring season has provided a new opportunity for programs following the OHSAA's decision to sanction the event for the first time.
Springfield is one high school that jumped at the opportunity to bring back boys volleyball and it has served them well.
"Their ability to adapt quickly and catch onto the basic fundamentals of the game has surprised me," head coach Tony Scott said. "You're communicating differently, you are using different muscles and you have to think a little bit more during the match."
One month into the season, the team is still very much learning its craft. Members of the Blue Devils girls Volleyball team and other outside help have volunteered their time to provide guidance for the young men.
"It's not as easy as it seems," senior Eddie Merrell III said. "When I watch our very talented girls team, I would always joke that I can do all that they can but there's a lot of technique involved."
Despite the unknown of their first varsity season, Scott didn't receive much pushback when it came to interest in the sport.
"There's really no expectation because it's a first-year program," Scott said. "When we were recruiting guys from football, soccer and wrestling we just told them to have some fun and try something different. The guys were really excited about it."
Fifty-one kids came out for tryouts before the season, a number that dazzled some of the players as well.
"It's not necessarily the most popular sport, so you wouldn't think a lot of people would want to come out," senior Hunter Keivens said. "But with the numbers, we've been able to train and practice with a bunch of people which really helps us."
Keivens is a handful of people on the roster who typically would be playing another Spring sport. Yet, the decision to change course came down to one simple thing.
"Me and my friends did this just to have fun honestly," Keivens, an Elmira College signee, said. "Personally I did it to stay in shape for soccer because I'm going to play college soccer."
The same can be said for Merrell, who signed his NLI on Wednesday to play football at Ohio Dominican University.
"Coach Scott happens to be my tight end coach and I'm very close with him outside of school," Merrell said. "So, when he told us he was coaching volleyball I decided why not. I played on the beach and in gym class at times so I gave it a shot and I really like it."
Enjoyment has been the theme for this team all spring long and part of that has come from winning.
"They hold their own and they serve the ball," assistant coach Tyler Haughawout said. "They're jumping as high as they can to hit the ball over and it's awesome to see."
Springfield possesses a record of 8-2 on the year which includes a seven-game winning streak. It's an impressive mark given fellow Northern Lakes League schools like Anthony Wayne and Perrysburg (who are on their schedule) have been playing club volleyball for years.
"Their drive to win, excel and do whatever they can to keep the ball afloat is impressive," Haughawout said. "Whether that's throwing an arm out or even our soccer guys looking to kick the ball."
It may not be the cleanest sight to see on the hardwood at times, but their play around the net is something to behold. The 2023 version of the Blue Devils shining on the court comes exactly three decades after Springfield won the 1993 State Championship as a club team.
Coaches and players will be the first to admit that there's a lot more work to do in order to match that accomplishment, but regardless of how this season ends the group is simply embracing the opportunity of a new athletic platform.
"When you hit a spike, block or big play in volleyball...the adrenaline is unlike any other sport," Merrell said. "I feel like it's top tier."
Springfield will compete in its first tournament of the year this weekend in Middletown.
Boys Volleyball joined girls wrestling as new OHSAA sports for the 2022-23 school year.